Ninety percent of the books I find these days are when I’m working at the bookstore. Usually, when pulling returns. You take so many of them out, it’s impossible not to look at them. Inevitably you’re going to come across one that catches your interest, leading to reading the book’s blurb, and then adding it to your reading list. Thus, it was with The Book Charmer by Karen Hawkins. Spring was already coming on at that point, so I was getting into Summer Book Mode in which I keep an eye out for books that are ideal for summer reading. Light, happy, sunshiny atmosphere stuff. Quaint little towns, maybe a pinch of romance, conflicts that aren’t too heavy. This one sounded like it fit the bill, so once I finished up with last month’s Book Club read, Midnight At the Blackbird Cafe, I ordered this one up from the library.
The Book Charmer (2019)
Written by: Karen Hawkins
Genre: Magic Realism
Pages: 368 (Hardcover)
Series: Dove Pond #1
Publisher: Gallery Books
The Premise:
Sarah Dove is no ordinary bookworm. To her, books have always been more than just objects: they live, they breathe, and sometimes they even speak. When Sarah grows up to become the librarian in her quaint Southern town of Dove Pond, her gift helps place every book in the hands of the perfect reader. Recently, however, the books have been whispering about something out of the ordinary: the arrival of a displaced city girl named Grace Wheeler.
If the books are right, Grace could be the savior that Dove Pond desperately needs. The problem is, Grace wants little to do with the town or its quirky residents — Sarah chief among them. It takes a bit of urging, and the help of an especially wise book, but Grace ultimately embraces the challenge to rescue her charmed new community. In her quest, she discovers the tantalizing promise of new love, the deep strength that comes from having a true friend, and the power of finding just the right book.
No spoilers
Discussion: Told in third-person format, this book switches between Sarah, Grace, and Trav’s perspectives. Trav lives in the house between Grace and Sarah and is obviously Grace’s love interest in the book. Originally, the blurb made it sound like Grace was going to roll into Dove Pond on her own, but instead, she comes with her adoptive mother, whose health is failing, and her sister’s daughter. She’s got a lot of things to deal with, hence her reluctance to get all buddy-buddy with the town, although after a while you’d think she’d have enough sense to do so if only to make friends and get help where it’s needed. But that’s one of the things Grace has to learn. It just takes her a while.
Sarah is a fun character who has her family’s magic in her. For whatever reason, the Dove family has a mild magic power that centers on specific things. For Sarah, books literally talk to her and let her know if someone needs them, plus she can talk back. Sarah’s sister, Ava, has a way with plants and can concoct teas that do any number of things. They all just go with it, and I’m fine with that. If you’re born into magic, you’re not going to question it. Most of the people in the town (which was founded by the Doves, hence the name) are accepting of it too. Even if they don’t believe in magic, they still don’t argue when Sarah pops up and chucks a book at them. It’s a neat bit of magic that’s used throughout the book, to the point that sometimes Sarah even bothers the books themselves rather than waiting for them to point her in a certain direction.
Trav’s chapters are few and far between, but I’m still okay with them because it helps give readers insight into why he acts the way he does and his current mindset. I really do wish there were more of Grace and Trav interactions throughout the book, though. Most of it is Grace clacking through town in her heels being anti-social and Trav thinking she’s an ice queen. It doesn’t really create tension because it’s not like the two even actually argue over anything. They just make assumptions and keep separate. I’m here for summer fluff, thank you very much, and though I don’t need them to make out on the pages, a little more interaction would have been nice. In general, Grace’s avoidance and terseness with the town and its people felt like it went on too long. I kept waiting for things to change a little because it was getting a bit tiresome watching Sarah try to befriend Grace only for Grace to be rather short with her and then have the cycle repeat.
There was one storyline that got thrown in that bugged me because it never got resolved. The entire book I had the feeling it wouldn’t — so why tease it so much? Sarah also has a love interest in the book, but because the two characters have a colorful history, including hers in full would have been too much and taken over Grace’s story. Yet at the same time, it was brought up just enough that was a bit distracting. It’s clear that Sarah’s going to get her own story involving her guy and their history (and if not, what the actual heck?), but the next book coming out is A Cup of Silver Linings which features Ava — not Sarah. Ok. Annoyed. I think Sarah’s tale should have been hinted at once and then left alone. It was clear enough the first time — I didn’t need additional moments that now make me bummed Ava has an upcoming book and not Sarah. Hmph.
In Conclusion: It’s still a nice little summer read if you enjoy magic realism, a touch of love, feel-good family stuffs, and happy endings. This is the sort of book that gets picked up for a Hallmark movie and there’s nothing wrong with that. Given how bonkers the world is these days, a little more love and cheer never hurt anyone. So if you’re on the beach, on your porch, or just kicking it inside and need something nice to read, might as well let The Book Charmer charm you.
This sounds like something I would like. I might see if the library has. Do the books tell her things related to their subjects (like cookbooks giving dinner recommendations and romance novels giving love advice) or do they just tell her random things?
Actually the books tell her who needs to read them! The very first book that speaks to her in the beginning is one that holds the history of the town and she’s just a kid, but the book keeps bugging her about reading it until she finally does. They always seem so random (i.e. an Italian language book for one of the women despite there seeming to be absolutely NO reason for her to have one), but the books know what’s up and so Sarah follows their lead!